The 2012-13 season was a very trying one for the Grand Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander/Kingsland wrestling team. The program has traditionally been near the top every year, but last season saw a decline in numbers which really prevented the team from filling all the weights and posting good scores.Forfeits were a common theme in GMLOK’s duals with the team only being able to send a handful of kids to the mat. Head coach Bill Simpkins had to eventually reach and pull some younger kids up to the varsity level.As a team, the Bulldogs finished the season with a 4-11 record and a 2-8 mark in the Three Rivers Conference. In the Section 1AA team tournament, GMLOK was beat by Byron by a 42-20 score.Individually though, the wrestlers saw a lot of success as GMLOK had five kids place at the section tournament. And one made it all the way to the state tournament,And that should be what people should expect from this year’s Bulldogs. They will not be able to fill too many weights, but that will send quality athletes to the mat in each weight they have.Coach Simpkins, who has been heading the program since 1987, will have a good pool of young talent as well with just two seniors graduating from last season’s squad and one senior on the squad this year. Those two were Lucas Roe and Brock Johnson.Johnson missed most of the season with an injury and only wrestled a couple of times. The Bulldogs will really be missing out with Roe, who won his weight at the section meet and took sixth place at state and went 42-5 on the season.“You could count on getting a fall from him at every meet”, Coach Simpkins commented on Roe. “It’s going to be up to the team to help pick up those wins”.The GMLOK coach expects that he will be able to consistently fill between 12 and 14 weights after the Christmas break, with many of the Grand Meadow wrestlers on the football team yet to practice. And the coach stated that many of his guys are going to have to wrestle at heavier weights than they would like until those athletes can get into a full swing.Coach Simpkins is expecting to have almost all of the upper and middle weights filled once the team is at full strength. “We have a good core coming back, but empty weights will be a problem”, Coach Simpkins stated. “We will be able to send eight or nine good kids in every dual. But four to six forfeits will make it difficult to have a lot of dual meet success”.Once everyone joins the team, the Bulldogs will be a very young and competitive group with just one senior and four returning wrestlers that placed at the section meet. Those wrestlers are:• Stephen Kassel, 126- Kassel is the lone senior and is a returning letter winner on this season’s squad and is expecting to have a big season. “He’s got that senior attitude”, Coach Simpkins commented. “He’s an excellent leader and role model and has a great work ethic”. The Bulldogs will be counting on that leadership from Kassel, being the lone senior this season.• Jace Bunne, 145- Bunne had to battle through some injuries last year and finished with a record of 14-12 on the season. But the junior wrestled great at the section meet and was able to take fourth place. “I’m expecting big things from Jace”, Coach Simpkins commented. “He’s a very dangerous and explosive wrestler”. Bunne may drop down to 138 for some meets and duals.• Wyatt Richardson, 195- Richardson just missed out on a trip to the state tournament by taking third place at sections. He had a great season though, finishing with a 31-10 record in 2012-13 and helped his team pick up big points in their duals. “Wyatt has really put in a lot of work in the offseason to improve”, Coach Simpkins commented. The junior took part in many summer wrestling events and did very well in each event. Richardson may also wrestle at 215 pounds during the season as well.• Parker Hale, 152- Hale had a great freshman season with GMLOK last year, finishing with a 23-14 record and taking fourth at the section meet. “He is a tough sophomore”, Coach Simpkins stated. “And running cross county in the fall will really help Parker out this year”. At the tournament in Faribault on Saturday, November 30, the GMLOK coach was very impressed with how Hale wrestled.• Blake Olson, 140- Olson finished last season with an impressive record of 28-14 and took sixth place at the section meet. “Blake has really hit the weight room this year and has gotten much stronger”, Coach Simpkins commented. The junior may also be wrestling anywhere from 140 to 160 pounds this season.• Brenn Olson, 106- Olson is a returning letter winner and Coach Simpkins is looking for the freshman to step up this season. “He’s no longer an undersized 106-pounder”, the coach commented.• Josh Graves, 113- Graves was one of the very young kids called up to the varsity level last year and, as an eighth-grader, will see significant amount there this season. Coach Simpkins stated that the returning letter winner has good size for his weight.• Sam Roe, 160- Roe is coming off a hot end to his sophomore season, competing at the section meet, and his coach is expecting him to continue that performance. “He had a really good winning streak towards the end of the season and has come on strong so far this year”. Roe may also drop down to 152 pounds depending on the matchup.• Brandon Turner, 182- A returning letter winner, Turner will look to have a great sophomore year. “He is still young yet”, Coach Simpkins commented. “But he has a lot of talent”.• Blake Benson, 220- Coach Simpkins may use Benson as their heavyweight occasionally and is hoping for big things from the freshman. The coach said that Benson will be one of the younger kids for his weight class.With the Grand Meadow boys just finishing up their outstanding football season, Coach Simpkins commented that the wrestling room has looked a bit empty. “We haven’t seen the GM football players yet and they probably won’t compete until mid-December”, the coach stated. “What we have seen in the room so far is great attitudes, superior work ethic and a ‘lets go get it on’ attitude”.Coach Simpkins said that this is not unusual to not have the full squad right away, as Grand Meadow had their wrestlers still playing football last year. “We can deal with it”, the coach commented. “We are hoping to have them wrestle in our dual against Plainview. It’s a conference meet, but we’ll see”.The Bulldogs will be making a switch in section and class this season. Last season, they were in Section 1AA and now will be moved to Section 2A. “This is the first time we have been out of Section 1 since wrestling was invented”, Coach Simpkins stated. Others in in Section 2A are teams like Blooming Praire, Blue Earth, Hayfield and Medford.A key to having a successful season as a team and individually will be to stay healthy. “We have thin numbers as it is and we can’t afford to lose anyone”, Coach Simpkins commented. “The JV guys we have are young and inexperienced. We have to avoid injuries and sickness”.The thing that Coach Simpkins is most looking forward to is finally being able to get the whole team on the mat at once, hopefully by January according to the coach. “We are going to do a lot of training in December and make our push in January and February”, Coach Simpkins stated.Competing in the Three Rivers Conference has always been competitive with so many good teams in the area. Coach Simpkins thinks Chatfield, once they get a full squad after their extended football season, will be a very tough team to contend with. GMLOK will see the Gopher wrestlers at a dual on December 17 and again at the Fillmore Central tourney on Dec. 21.Other teams in the TRC that will be right up there will be Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Caledonia and Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson.2013-14 will be a very interesting season for the GMLOK wrestling team. Again, the Bulldogs are plagued by small numbers and it will be difficult to fill most weights. But the talent pool is outstanding on this team.And it is a young, talented group with just one senior on the squad. They are losing Lucas Roe, a participant at the state tournament last year as a senior, but they are bringing back four outstanding grapplers that placed at the section tournament.The team may struggle to make points in their duals and in the final standings at tournaments, but individually this squad will be one that will compete at the highest level. Hopefully we will see a few more kids make it past the section tourney and make the trip up to St. Paul for the state competition.Good luck to the GMLOK wrestlers in 2013-14!

The past few years for the LeRoy-Ostrander boys basketball program have been very tough. But it has been seeing gradual improvements each year and the 2013-14 season should see more of that team building occur from the Cardinals.And that will start with the a change at the head coaching spot this year as Jim Hubka takes over for Jason Jude this year. Coach Hubka coached the B-squad team last season and earned high praise from Jude last season with his great knowledge of the game and ability as a coach.Coach Hubka has been coaching basketball for 12 years, with most of his time coming as an assistant coach at Kingsland before coming to LeRoy-Ostrander last year.Joining him on his coaching staff this year will be Trevor Carrier, who will coach the junior varsity team, and the junior high coach, Joe Kuechenmeister.Improving on 2012-13’s record of 5-22 will be the first goal that Coach Hubka has in mind for his Cardinal team. And getting off to a much better start will be key after the Cards lost 10-straight games to start last season off.LeRoy-Ostrander had some good performances following that 10-game skid, including an overtime win over Mabel-Canton and a victory against McGregor at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The Cards won two of their final four games to take the ninth seed in the East 1A Subsection playoffs. They would face off against eighth-seeded Hope Lutheran in the opening round of the postseason, but would fall by a 73-58 final score.Coach Hubka stated that improving that record from last year starts with playing better defense. “They gave up too many points”, the coach stated after the Cardinals allowed 67 points per game last season. “They did a much better job towards the end of the year and this season we will be picking up on the fundamentals and grasping concepts on defense”.LeRoy-Ostrander will be missing four seniors from last year’s team that contributed over 21 points per game to the equation. Mitch Scaglione, Dom Lazzara, Tony Steinkamp and Quinn Pittelko-Leff will be missed from last season’s team, but Coach Hubka is impressed with what he has to work with so far.“This year we will be adding more ability to score”, the coach stated. “We will be able to run and push the ball up court. Most of the kids on varsity were with me (on the JV team) last year and know what to expect”.There will be four seniors on the 2013-14 roster for the Cardinals, including two players on the All-Conference team. Those seniors are:• Nate Bunne, an All-Conference winner in 2012-13, returns as the Cardinals’ starting point guard and Coach Hubka is expecting him to shoulder more of the scoring load. Bunne averaged almost 10 points per game last season and led the team with about five assists per game. Coach Hubka expects Bunne to take care of the ball and finish at the basket more. “Nate did a great job of getting to the basket last year”, the coach stated. “He could score a lot of points this year if he can make it to the free throw line”.• Zach Royston, part of the All-Conference team last year, will be looked to improve on his impressive numbers from last year. The senior forward averaged a double-double in 27 games, averaging 14 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest last year. Coach Hubka has seen improvement in both the offensive and defensive game of Royston and will count on him and Bunne to provide veteran leadership. He has also been impressed with how much stronger the senior has gotten since last year. “Hopefully that pays off for us”, Coach Hubka stated.• Paul Johnson saw very little time at the varsity level last season as he was plagued with injuries. The senior played in just five games at a guard position last season and will see some good minutes off the bench this year.• Trenton Arndorfer played in four varsity games last season at forward, but should see an increase in play time in 2013-14. Coach Hubka said the senior would be coming off the bench and see minutes depending on the game situation.Coach Hubka has a solid core of underclassmen on his roster this season. The coach knows this group well, as he coached most of them last season on the junior varsity team. Those looking to get minutes at the varsity level are:• Taylor Meyer, a junior guard, will likely find himself in the starting lineup at the two-guard spot after playing in 22 contests last year. Meyer averaged just about three points per game and shot 38-percent from the field. Coach Hubka is looking for the junior to help with the ball handling to help free Nate Bunne up on offense.• Josh Royston will be inserted into the starting lineup after playing 17 games as a freshman last year. The sophomore will help provide some great height at the other forward spot. “He really shot up in height”, Coach Hubka commented on Royston. “He’s going to see a lot of minutes”. Royston will help handle some of the scoring load and make a difference in rebounding on both ends of the court.• Jacob Souhrada came out last season and played great in 22 games. The junior saw increased playing time as the season went on after showing outstanding defensive effort. Coach Hubka will use him in the same way as last year, bringing junior off the bench to cover the other team’s best player.• Ryan Kasel played in 12 contests last season and will see time in the starting lineup on some nights at the center spot. Moving him inside at center will help free up Zach Royston to the forward spot. Coach Hubka stated that the junior has a good post game and could see good minutes.• Craig Wheeler will be another player rotating in at the center spot. Coach Hubka stated that the junior, who played in nine games last year, has a better outside shot than Kasel, but it will depend on who the opponent is when deciding who will start at the five spot.• Kenny Stinehart, a junior, could see a few minutes off the bench this season at one of the forward spots.Coach Hubka is really looking forward to finding out what his team is capable of. “We didn’t have the luxury of having so many ball handlers last year”, the coach stated. If the starters can stay healthy and out of foul trouble, Coach Hubka thinks his team will be fine.One hurdle that the Cardinals will have to deal with will be the lack of depth once again. Last season there were a number of times where the starters played nearly every minute of the game. But Coach Hubka believes that the talent pool is much better on this roster this year from top to bottom.Expectations of this team are very high for Coach Hubka. He is looking for his squad to be able to compete for the Southeast Conference west title. “If they can continue learning the game and improving, we can take a big step forward this year”.The LeRoy-Ostrander coach wants to see the confidence from the team improve each week along with the communication on the court. “They have to stay positive”, Coach Hubka stated. “They are so used to losing and need to learn how to play with the lead”.During practice, the coach stated that his squad has been working very hard to build their chemistry and find that success. Another key to success will be taking care of the ball. The Cards turned the ball over more than 25 times per game last season. “You’re not going to win too many games with that many turnovers”, Coach Hubka pointed out.To do that, the L-O coach is looking for the offense to read the opposing defense better and be more creative. “We have put in a lot of new plays for the offense and we will be looking to get all five players involved”, Coach Hubka commented. “Everyone is going to have a chance to score. And with more shooters on the floor, we should be able to get teams out of zone defenses and into man-to-man situations”.Defensively, Coach Hubka will be having his players stick with man-to-man and work on their fundamentals, but hopes to have a few zone plays in there as the season progresses.“As a coach, I really want to see these guys succeed”, Coach Hubka stated. “I made each player write down goals for themselves and we will see if they can obtain those goals”.The coach’s goal for his team is to win between 12 and 14 games and compete for the SEC west title. “Hopefully we can get there”, Coach Hubka stated. “I really want to see them be that confident team and go into each game with the attitude that they can win any game”.Looking at the Southeast Conference, it should be competitive all the way around and Coach Hubka expects that Spring Grove, Mabel-Canton and Lanesboro will be right near the top when the season ends.With a good number of returning players coming back this year, the LeRoy-Ostrander boys basketball team should be in a good position to compete in the SEC. And with the addition of new head coach Jim Hubka, they will be prepared to take on any challenge in 2013-14.The keys to a successful season will be limiting their turnovers, playing solid defense and staying healthy. The rest should come naturally for this young team. It should be interesting to see what this team will be able to accomplish this season as they continue to improve game by game.Best of luck to the Cardinals in 2013-14!

It was quite a rollercoaster season for the LeRoy-Ostrander girls basketball team last season. A rough start to the season put them in a deep hole to start the year, but an outstanding finish had them playing at the Mayo Civic Center.The 2013-14 girls team will be looking to get off to a much better start and make a deeper push into the Section 1A playoffs.Aaron Hungerholt returns as the head coach for the Cardinals for his fifth season at the helm. Assisting Coach Hungerholt this year will be Ryan Wehrenberg, his third year with the team, and Crystal Lonning, who is coaching the C-squad for the first time.LeRoy-Ostrander’s disappointing start to the 2012-13 season had them winless in their first six contests. But a big turnaround after that sixth loss had the Cardinals near the .500 mark in mid-January. The success came from a change in play style implemented by Coach Hungerholt as he utilized his team’s quickness and played a more up-tempo game. They closed out the regular season with four-straight victories to clinch the fourth seed in the East Subsection playoffs.In their first contest of the postseason, the Cards easily handled Hope Lutheran to seal a trip to the Mayo Civic Center. But they would run into a very tough Rushford-Peterson squad and their season would come to an end after a 65-33 loss. LeRoy-Ostrander ended their season with a 13-14 overall record and had an impressive 11-7 mark in the Southeast Conference.The Cardinals will be missing out on four key seniors from last season’s squad, all starters for Coach Hungerholt. The 2013-14 team will need to figure out how to replace Jessica Jennings, Megan Grant, Dana Miller and Anna Miller.Those four seniors contributed nearly 28 of the team’s points per game last season and each brought something different to the table, skill-wise. But one thing that Coach Hungerholt will miss from those for is their leadership.“Megan brought a lot of experience to the squad last season and was very consistent”, the L-O coach commented. “Dana was our point guard and we will miss her leadership and toughness. Anna was our best defender and was a very aggressive player. Jessica was a great leader and very deadly shooter outside”.Depth was a big concern for the Cardinals last season with those four seniors in the starting lineup. And this year will be no different as L-O brings back just two seniors and a very inexperienced group of girls.The two senior captains on this season’s team will have a lot on their shoulders and will be leaned on heavily for their leadership and production on the court. Those two seniors are:• Becca Bunne will be starting at the varsity level for the fourth-straight season. Coach Hungerholt mentioned that the senior captain and returning All-Conference winner will make the move to point guard this season and will be counted on to help set the offense up. Bunne averaged a double-double each game with 12.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per game and was the team leader in assists with 3.4 per game. Coach Hungerholt is expecting the senior to display some great leadership both on and off the court for this young team.• Laura Stevenson is the other senior captain on this year’s team and will be taking over the other starting guard spot after coming off the bench last season. Stevenson played in all of the team’s games last year and averaged almost five points per game and was second on the team in three-point shots made with 36. Coach Hungeholt hopes that the senior will be able to replace Jessica Jennings as the team’s main shooter this year.• Camille Winfield is another senior on the squad, but will miss a good chunk of time with a knee injury. Coach Hungerholt stated that there is no timetable for her return. Winfield played in 12 of her team’s games last season as a junior.One area that last year’s team lacked in was size, but this year’s team will have plenty of it in the starting lineup. The other players in the starting lineup for the LeRoy-Ostrander girls basketball team are:• Shelby Winkels, a junior, returns to the team after missing last season with an injury to her knee. The Cardinals will be counting on Winkels to help provide the starting lineup with some size and skill at the center position. Coach Hungerholt stated that the junior is a good player in the post and the addition of her height will help this team greatly.• Abi Winkels will step into the starting lineup this season after being ineligible to play last year due to a transfer rule. Like sister Shelby, Abi will help provide the Cardinals with some height at one of the forward spots.• Sam Siskow will be inserted into the starting lineup as a sophomore after coming off the bench last season. Siskow played in all of her team’s games last season and was outstanding on the boards and with the defense, averaging nearly eight rebounds and one block per game. Coach Hungerholt stated that the sophomore is a very athletic player and is another tall body on the court.• Others that will be seeing time on the court off the bench for the Cardinals this year will be Jessica Lohuis, Ashley Norby, Sam Pittelko, Stephanie Sukalski and Haley Riedemann. Riedemann will be missing some time with an injury.As for expectations, Coach Hungerholt is excited to see what having some taller players will do for his team. “This is our first year that we have had some height”, the coach stated. “Traditionally, we have played more man-to-man, but this year we will probably run more set plays, slow it down and use our height”.On defense, Coach Hungerholt wants his team to be aggressive with their size and slow the other team down. “The girls know the expectations on defense”, the coach commented. “We just need to stay healthy with our small numbers and keep ourselves out of foul trouble”.In order for this team to make it back to the Civic Center in Rochester, Coach Hungerholt stated that his team will have to display some consistency. “With this being Shelby and Abi’s first year on varsity, it’s going to be very important that we see some consistency”, the coach commented. “Each player will need to perform their role. Sam is another year older, Laura is a good shooter and Becca will be asked to do a lot for this team this year”.Besides the abundance of size from this team, another strength that Coach Hungerholt pointed out will be the varsity experience of Becca Bunne and the athleticism of the team. “We are really going to lean on Becca’s experience until we can identify ourselves”, the coach commented on his four-year starter.That experience will definitely be needed as there are only three players girls with significant varsity playing time. The lack of depth and experience will be a big obstacle for the Cardinals this season, but Coach Hungerholt hopes that the younger girls on this team will be able to develop quickly as the year goes on.The Cardinal coach and his team would love to return to the Civic Center this season, but the road ahead of the them will be very difficult come playoff time. LeRoy-Ostrander, along with Grand Meadow, got moved to the west side of the subsection. And that side has some very tough teams on it.Teams on the west side of Section 1A include Goodhue, Blooming Prairie, Bethlehem Academy, Lyle-Pacelli and Southland. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge”, Coach Hungerholt commented on the move. “But we are going to work hard and hopefully be playing our best basketball at that time”.As for teams in the Southeast Conference, Coach Hungerholt stated that Lyle-Pacelli and Spring Grove are probably the early front runners to win the conference. But the coach said the conference will be very tough overall.Coach Hungerholt is really looking forward to those challenges and seeing what his team can do as the season rolls on. “We like challenges”, the coach commented. “And I think the girls will step up. I’m really looking forward to the possibility of surprising some teams”.It will be tough for the Cardinals right out of the gates this season as they open with two conference battles on the road. On Tuesday, December 3, L-O will be in Grand Meadow for a contest against the rival Superlarks. They then head to Spring Grove on Friday, Dec. 6.LeRoy-Ostrander’s first home game comes against Hope Lutheran on Friday, Dec. 13 in game one of a boys/girls double-header.This season will a big change of pace for the LeRoy-Ostrander girls basketball team. Losing four seniors from last year’s team leaves a huge hole that needs to be filled. But with the talent being put on the court in 2013-14, Coach Hungerholt and his squad should be in pretty good shape.Were last year’s team utilized their speed to their advantage with an up-tempo pace, the Cardinals this year will look to use to gain the upper hand.The inexperience on this team may be an obstacle right away, but the Lady Cardinals have all the ability and talent that can hopefully return them to the Mayo Civic Center when the playoffs come around.Good luck to the 2013-14 LeRoy-Ostrander girls basketball team!

1953 – 60 years agoThe annual LeRoy Village election will be held December 8 with polls open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Offices to be voted upon include Mayor, Trustee, Treasurer, Justice of the Peace and Constable. All offices are for two-year terms, except trustee, which is for three years.The American Legion Auxiliary held its annual Christmas party and business meeting in the Legion rooms. During the business meeting, it was voted to send a donation to the District President’s project that is to have a TV set installed at the Rochester Hospital for Veterans. William Bruce of LeRoy was the first name called for $35 cash in the first Christmas drawing. Obituaries: Henry H. Simonson, Grand Meadow; Mrs. Sanna Fister, 77, LeRoy

1963 – 50 years agoHarold Monsen was the lucky person to receive the $25 at the drawing held Saturday night sponsored by the Commercial Club. The $1 winners were Lucille Vantries, Leo Remer, Roland Ross, Roger Jacobson, and Ray Peters.The members of the American Legion Auxiliary held a potluck dinner. The membership committee reported that 85 members had joined the Auxiliary. The lunch committee for January was Mrs. Roger Fister, Mrs. Harley Wherry, Mrs. Alfred Osheim and Mrs. Glenn Stevens. The Stitch N’ Chatter Club met at the home of Mrs. Herman Dick.The Christmas Club met at the home of Mrs. Jesse Havens, Sr., with Mrs. Chris Peterson as co-hostess. Election of officers was held. Results were President – Mrs. Chris Peterson, Vice President – Mrs. Freda Nauman and Secretary/Treasurer – Mrs. Nellie Eastland. The LeRoy Garden Club met at the home of Mrs. Merle Lamon. There was a 50-cent gift exchange.The regular meeting of the Chester Cloverleaves 4-H Club was held. Election of officers resulted in the following: President – Jane Souhrada, Vice President = Karen Freel, Secretary – Susan Vance, Treasurer – Mary Schott, Historian – Kathy Freel, and Reporter – Linda Schott.

1983 – 30 years ago Construction of the building, which housed the new water treatment plant, continued despite the cold and snow. The scaffolding was covered with plastic to allow construction to continue through the winter. The water treatment plant was a $230,000 project.Residents were reminded to keep their cars off the streets when a snowstorm was predicted, allowing the streets to be properly cleaned by the plow.The Howard County Engineer announced the seal coating of V-10 south to Highway 9 (Jamestown Cheese Factory). The cost to seal coat the 9-½ miles was approximately $50,000.A recap of the 1983 Cardinal Football Season shows that the LeRoy-Ostrander team won 6 of 9 games played, finishing with a 6-3 season record. One loss was non-conference to Sherburn, two were to conference foes Grand Meadow and Harmony. L-O scored a total of 155 points versus 113 total for its opponents. This was an average of 17.2 points per game for L-O, and 12.5 points per game for its opponents.1993 – 20 years agoThe LeRoy City Council set its final budget figure for the 1994 year at $250,000, and approved a levy, which was effectively reduced by $16,000 from the original approved by the City a few weeks before. The budget figures also took a drop from the year before, from $268,000. There were two separate levies for the city. One was the LeRoy Library, which climbed from $6,000 to $8,100. The second was the newly-established LeRoy Economic Development Authority, which could levy .01813 of taxable market value, or $2,438 for the 1994 year.If families wanted their loved ones to be buried at the LeRoy Cemetery in the winter months, they were faced with an increase in charges. The cost was increased by $300 above the normal opening and closing of the grave. The cost could be less if the weather was good. John Heisler was featured for starting J & S Liquidators in Chester. He offered a wide selection of quality merchandise at bargain basement prices.Nearly all of LeRoy-Ostrander’s School District followed their team to the Metrodome in Minneapolis for the second straight week as the Cardinals played for the state nine-man championship. The unbeaten L-O nine ran into a buzz saw against No. 1 ranked Chokio-Alberta and their star running back Kyle Neitzel. The team held their heads high and were great representatives of their school, never giving up even when faced with a 35-0 deficit. It was also great to come home to a caravan of fans going through the town, and signs welcoming the team back, despite the defeat.Obituaries: Ethel Marie Hanson, 87, LeRoy native; Ervin A. Dietrich, 79, LeRoy; John L. Davis, 55, rural Chester

2003 – 10 years agoThe LeRoy City Council was put in the “hot seat” during its annual Truth in Taxation hearing held at the LeRoy Community Center. Over 75 individuals came out to discuss projected cuts and continued expenses that had, once again, increased the levy for the upcoming year. The biggest concern with the large group of people attending was the possible cut taking place in the parks and recreation budget, concerning the pool. According to the 2003 LeRoy-Ostrander School District’s annual census report, the community and outlying area are producing favorable numbers for the school system and the records indicate there may be potential growth in the future.For the first time, the proceeds from the annual Cookie Walk will be given matching funds, dollar for dollar up to $2,500. The LeRoy Area Ambulance Service will benefit big time if the annual benefit brings in enough funds to match the $2,400 offered by Modern Woodmen of America.Jeff Wendel, Chuck and Ilene Larson, Donna Trachta, Rhonda and John Larson and Rick Granahan of LeRoy pose with one of the flags given to the Chester Fire Department by Jeremiah Larson who is currently stationed in Iraq. Larson sent a letter explaining the gift. “September 11 changed our lives forever and because of that flags were flown to commemorate people and crews that were important to him on September 11, 2003. These flags were then given to four groups and individuals. Besides the Chester Fire Department and the First Responders, Jeremiah’s grandparents and parents were presented with flags.Jason Herber is the new LeRoy-Ostrander boy’s varsity basketball coach, replacing Coach Russ Foster, who helped lead the cardinals to back-to-back Southeast Conference titles. Six players of the basketball team are returning lettermen; they are Kirk Olson, Neal Bucknell, Paul Hanks, John Hanks, Andrew Knight and Kellen BucknellObituaries: Rose Holmen, 95, Ostrander1953 – 60 years agoThe annual LeRoy Village election will be held December 8 with polls open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Offices to be voted upon include Mayor, Trustee, Treasurer, Justice of the Peace and Constable. All offices are for two-year terms, except trustee, which is for three years.The American Legion Auxiliary held its annual Christmas party and business meeting in the Legion rooms. During the business meeting, it was voted to send a donation to the District President’s project that is to have a TV set installed at the Rochester Hospital for Veterans. William Bruce of LeRoy was the first name called for $35 cash in the first Christmas drawing. Obituaries: Henry H. Simonson, Grand Meadow; Mrs. Sanna Fister, 77, LeRoy

1963 – 50 years agoHarold Monsen was the lucky person to receive the $25 at the drawing held Saturday night sponsored by the Commercial Club. The $1 winners were Lucille Vantries, Leo Remer, Roland Ross, Roger Jacobson, and Ray Peters.The members of the American Legion Auxiliary held a potluck dinner. The membership committee reported that 85 members had joined the Auxiliary. The lunch committee for January was Mrs. Roger Fister, Mrs. Harley Wherry, Mrs. Alfred Osheim and Mrs. Glenn Stevens. The Stitch N’ Chatter Club met at the home of Mrs. Herman Dick.The Christmas Club met at the home of Mrs. Jesse Havens, Sr., with Mrs. Chris Peterson as co-hostess. Election of officers was held. Results were President – Mrs. Chris Peterson, Vice President – Mrs. Freda Nauman and Secretary/Treasurer – Mrs. Nellie Eastland. The LeRoy Garden Club met at the home of Mrs. Merle Lamon. There was a 50-cent gift exchange.The regular meeting of the Chester Cloverleaves 4-H Club was held. Election of officers resulted in the following: President – Jane Souhrada, Vice President = Karen Freel, Secretary – Susan Vance, Treasurer – Mary Schott, Historian – Kathy Freel, and Reporter – Linda Schott.

1983 – 30 years ago Construction of the building, which housed the new water treatment plant, continued despite the cold and snow. The scaffolding was covered with plastic to allow construction to continue through the winter. The water treatment plant was a $230,000 project.Residents were reminded to keep their cars off the streets when a snowstorm was predicted, allowing the streets to be properly cleaned by the plow.The Howard County Engineer announced the seal coating of V-10 south to Highway 9 (Jamestown Cheese Factory). The cost to seal coat the 9-½ miles was approximately $50,000.A recap of the 1983 Cardinal Football Season shows that the LeRoy-Ostrander team won 6 of 9 games played, finishing with a 6-3 season record. One loss was non-conference to Sherburn, two were to conference foes Grand Meadow and Harmony. L-O scored a total of 155 points versus 113 total for its opponents. This was an average of 17.2 points per game for L-O, and 12.5 points per game for its opponents.1993 – 20 years agoThe LeRoy City Council set its final budget figure for the 1994 year at $250,000, and approved a levy, which was effectively reduced by $16,000 from the original approved by the City a few weeks before. The budget figures also took a drop from the year before, from $268,000. There were two separate levies for the city. One was the LeRoy Library, which climbed from $6,000 to $8,100. The second was the newly-established LeRoy Economic Development Authority, which could levy .01813 of taxable market value, or $2,438 for the 1994 year.If families wanted their loved ones to be buried at the LeRoy Cemetery in the winter months, they were faced with an increase in charges. The cost was increased by $300 above the normal opening and closing of the grave. The cost could be less if the weather was good. John Heisler was featured for starting J & S Liquidators in Chester. He offered a wide selection of quality merchandise at bargain basement prices.Nearly all of LeRoy-Ostrander’s School District followed their team to the Metrodome in Minneapolis for the second straight week as the Cardinals played for the state nine-man championship. The unbeaten L-O nine ran into a buzz saw against No. 1 ranked Chokio-Alberta and their star running back Kyle Neitzel. The team held their heads high and were great representatives of their school, never giving up even when faced with a 35-0 deficit. It was also great to come home to a caravan of fans going through the town, and signs welcoming the team back, despite the defeat.Obituaries: Ethel Marie Hanson, 87, LeRoy native; Ervin A. Dietrich, 79, LeRoy; John L. Davis, 55, rural Chester

2003 – 10 years agoThe LeRoy City Council was put in the “hot seat” during its annual Truth in Taxation hearing held at the LeRoy Community Center. Over 75 individuals came out to discuss projected cuts and continued expenses that had, once again, increased the levy for the upcoming year. The biggest concern with the large group of people attending was the possible cut taking place in the parks and recreation budget, concerning the pool. According to the 2003 LeRoy-Ostrander School District’s annual census report, the community and outlying area are producing favorable numbers for the school system and the records indicate there may be potential growth in the future.For the first time, the proceeds from the annual Cookie Walk will be given matching funds, dollar for dollar up to $2,500. The LeRoy Area Ambulance Service will benefit big time if the annual benefit brings in enough funds to match the $2,400 offered by Modern Woodmen of America.Jeff Wendel, Chuck and Ilene Larson, Donna Trachta, Rhonda and John Larson and Rick Granahan of LeRoy pose with one of the flags given to the Chester Fire Department by Jeremiah Larson who is currently stationed in Iraq. Larson sent a letter explaining the gift. “September 11 changed our lives forever and because of that flags were flown to commemorate people and crews that were important to him on September 11, 2003. These flags were then given to four groups and individuals. Besides the Chester Fire Department and the First Responders, Jeremiah’s grandparents and parents were presented with flags.Jason Herber is the new LeRoy-Ostrander boy’s varsity basketball coach, replacing Coach Russ Foster, who helped lead the cardinals to back-to-back Southeast Conference titles. Six players of the basketball team are returning lettermen; they are Kirk Olson, Neal Bucknell, Paul Hanks, John Hanks, Andrew Knight and Kellen BucknellObituaries: Rose Holmen, 95, Ostrander

There are many reasons people look forward to Christmas. On December 14, young and old alike will have one more reason as the 17th Street Players bring a live performance of “A Christmas Carol” to LeRoy.“A Christmas Carol,” the classic novel by Charles Dickens, is truly one of the most beloved Christmas stories ever told. The play's main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, is a heartless old miser who has spent his lifetime chasing after great wealth - which he has attained; however, in his lust for riches, he has unwittingly given up something much more precious. Scrooge is confronted by three mysterious Christmas apparitions, who attempt to show him the true meaning of Christmas and awaken a compassion for mankind from within the depths of his soul - before it's too late. The show is certain to be a holiday delight, boasting a seasoned cast of talented performers.Gordy Handeland, of Austin, Minn., is the creative mind who started 17th Street Players ten years ago as a Murder Mystery troupe. They have performed shows in Austin, Albert Lea, Rochester, LaCrosse and Minneapolis, as well as Des Moines, Iowa."In 2006, we started to do regular shows," said Handeland. "Our first was the Stephen King thriller, 'Misery.’ We have also done 'Inherit The Wind,’ 'On Golden Pond,' 'Best Christmas Pageant Ever,' 'The complete Works of Shakespeare,' 'My Fair Lady,' 'White Christmas,' and the first Minnesota production of 'Doubt.' We have also done a few old-time radio shows and a few concerts." Handeland has also directed shows for other theater companies in Austin, Mantorville and Albert Lea, where he will be directing "Annie” this summer. He has performed in many venues throughout the state: The Children's Theater Company in Minneapolis, Summerset, Matchbox Children's Theatre and Riverland College Austin, Minnesota Festival and Albert Lea Community Theater, Mantorville, where he will appear in "LOVE LETTERS" in February, and Brave Theater in Spring Valley. In addition to his directing and acting experience, Handeland has designed many sets for shows, including most of the theaters listed above, as well as the Paul Bunyan Theater in Bemidji. LeRoy's very own Chris Williams (LeRoy Community Theater), is responsible for bringing the 17th Street Players to LeRoy and will be performing in “A Christmas Carol," as well."I asked Chris Williams to be in the show," said Handeland. Handeland had mentioned he would like to try to take the show on the road, and Williams suggested bringing the performance to LeRoy. "So, the LeRoy Community Theater is sponsoring the show, and part of the proceeds is going to the LeRoy-Ostrander Music Department," said Handeland. "Dickens' Christmas Carol" features actors from Austin, Albert Lea, Elkton, Adams and LeRoy.Handeland is the director with Tom Flaherty of Adams serving as stage manager and lighting technician.The performance is scheduled for December 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the school gymnasium. Tickets are on sale at Ed's Floral and Christmas in LeRoy Craft Show and Cookie Walk. The cost is $10; $7 for students K through 12, and preschool free.

Since I didn't have anything else to do, and since my days as a Mom are few and far between, I have championed Ginger Holm's ideas for keeping Moms busy while their little darlings are learning about God and all His wisdom. I loved the idea of Mom's Night Out from the very first, having heard if from the horse's mouth, so to speak, when Ginger invited all the Moms to join her in learning new things.I missed the first Wednesday gathering, but found my way to the kitchen of the LeRoy Lutheran church for the second session to hear and see Marceil Skifter of Grand Meadow make "gift" soap by way of a few pictures and some melted wax, on top of a bar of Ivory soap. Actually the idea was to keep those little darlings busy in the bathtub watching those decorated bars of soap float around the bathtub. And, if by chance there was a pretty picture of flowers, birds or bees, it was okay to just make some decorated gift bars for your friends, relatives or neighbors, and they will be forever grateful.I watched this program from a distance since I didn't want to get too involved and figured I could put it together myself if I ever found a bargain on Ivory soap, like Marceil kept urging us to do. As she described her adventures in finding this bargain on soap here, and then buying up those dollar candles, to melt, there, and then finding those delightful pictures somewhere deep into her hoard of things she might use someday, I questioned if it was a time-saving or money saving plan. But who am I to wonder about those things when the younger Mom's ooowed and aaawed over her creations. And she added in ideas about putting together little gift baskets and bags of soap, and all those good things which she is noted for, making great things out of nothing! So much for gift soaps!The next venture I hit on was Ginger's promise of something to eat! Judy and Joe Langlie, who live near Ostrander were going to give a Mom's Night Out program on making Rosettes. Now that was right up my alley, and I could hardly wait to get to the program, now located in the kitchen of the Trinity Lutheran church in Ostrander. Judy had the recipe, for approximately 40 rosettes, and her helpers had the hot oil bubbling in the automatic electric fryer, ready and waiting for the cast-iron rosette irons to be dipped, very carefully, into the thin batter and then lifted into the hot oil, fried, and then lifted out and then slipped off the decorative irons to drain. Dear Joe was right there to make sure each rosette was then dipped into the white sugar and then carefully layered into a storage box, but not before I had my chance to taste-test the delightful treats. (So, what were we saving them for? the students who were in the church doing confirmation studies, that's what!) I ate another one too, threatening to eat them all they were so good! (I had figured there weren't 40 kids, so they weren't going to run out!) I can also tell you that I liked this program the best of all, and you will just have to guess the reason!As for the next lesson in learning, Ginger assumed the role of program giver and showed us how to make decorative pie tops for Thanksgiving by taking rolled out pie dough and cutting and shaping it into artistic scenes over the filling of the pie. It was such a fascinating endeavor, we didn't watch the clock and the next thing we knew, Ginger had invited us to join her while she opened the oven to find a "baked ahead" decorated cherry pie, but there was no time to eat it, so home it went with the other two pies she had made that evening! She begged our pardon but we knew better!The last Mom's Night Out program was Marceil Skifter again, showing us how to made delightful gift bags out of nothing, her first demonstration showing us how sweet it is to cut out the pocket of a man's shirt, without him in it, glue it to the front of a gift bag, along with some colored buttons, and whammo! there is a gift bag for a man. And if you have a new, or at least a very clean handkerchief to give away, put that into the pocket as an added "gift" and he will love you forever! She is such a creative and talented gal there is no way I can tell you about all the many "cheapie" ways she showed us to do gift bags and wrappings, for any occasion as well as Christmas ideas. I do know that I have thoroughly enjoyed these programs and I know what you have missed by not making time to learn something new. It's been delightful, Ginger, and I look forward to more of these wonderful programs, even if I'm a grandmother and great-grandmother, rather than the young Mom you aimed at!

Hosted by First State Bank Minn (FSBM) and First National Bank (FNB), LeRoy’s traditional Angel Tree program brings Christmas joy to area children and helps the parents provide a nice Christmas for their kids. Angel Tree is sponsored by the LeRoy Community Food Shelf under the direction of the LeRoy Area Ministerial Association (LAMA). Each year the Angel Tree project brightens the lives of area children, who otherwise might have no gifts to open on Christmas morning. Thirty-three children are participating in the Angel Tree project this year. Caring citizens can come to either one of the banks and choose one or more "angels" to buy a gift for. An approximate value of $20 for each gift is suggested. The unwrapped gifts are then returned to the bank, with the angel card attached, no later than December 16. Food shelf volunteers wrap the gifts and distribute them to families with their holiday food baskets on December 21.Every child deserves a Merry Christmas, and every child on the Angel Tree will receive a Christmas gift. If any angels are left on the tree unsponsored, the LeRoy Food Shelf will purchase a gift for them. If you do not have time to shop for an angel but want to contribute, monetary donations are being collected at FSBM and FNB, also.

Well, I had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend which started last Wednesday with the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service at Ostrander's Trinity Lutheran church which was followed by a fellowship gathering where the ladies had a bountiful buffet of all kinds of buttered breads such as poppy seed, banana, cranberry and others I couldn't identify and didn't taste test. Then there were plates of meat, cheese and crackers, along with dessert bars of all kinds, some of which I had never tasted before, and plates of cookies, served with coffee and lemonade. It was a feast waiting to happen and many went back for seconds or to find a new taste treat. It was very nice and the ladies did themselves proud because they had so much to serve to the very nice crowd of people who had come to the service.The next morning I got myself ready to go up to Owatonna to daughter Barb and Brian O'Neill's home where they hosted an Evans family Thanksgiving dinner. The food was special all the way to the pumpkin and pecan pies which Brian put together. (I still haven't figured out how Barb could be so lucky to find a man who likes to cook and bake!) It was a fun day but in the afternoon I headed over to Wisconsin, to get to Sparta where son Greg and Sue were waiting supper of smoked pork chops from Greg's smoker/cooker along with au gratin potatoes and corn. Not only did I get my fill of food but also had a couple of really good whist games when grandson Kyle made it a foursome. Neither he nor Sue knew how to play the game but it didn't take long for them to get on to it, and now we have plans for a tournament in Hillsboro when the family gathers for the annual Christmas party and we move into the Hillsboro Hotel for the weekend!I stayed overnight at Greg and Sue's so I would be all set to go when granddaughter Katie and her two-year-old Evan from Hudson, Wisconsin, got there to pick me up for the trip over to Plymouth, on the other side of the state, going to eldest son Terry and Mary Kay's home for another Thanksgiving! You all know how far behind I am with all this technical stuff that my kids and grandkids use daily, so it was no surprise when Katie starts going towards Plymouth with this GPO or GPS, or whatever, aimed in that direction. If I tell you, that once we got off the Interstate at Portage, I saw parts of Wisconsin I didn't intend to see or even get near to, but that piece of technology took us all the way and then some, and many miles behind a milk truck which plodded along the two lane road which Katie had understood to be four lanes, but wasn't! But, hey, it said to turn and when we did, there was the four-lane highway we were looking for on the way to Plymouth. Little Evan is a good traveler, sitting in his safety seat directly behind Katie who then could hand him treats and drinks she had stored in front, as well as toys for him to play with or his blankey when it was time to nap. She has it down to a science and the little kid understood the whole conversation of what she had to offer him. Amazing. I don't remember my own kids being that smart at that age, but there's a lot I don't remember and that might be some of it! Katie's husband Adam is a contractor consultant for Menards somewhere up north near or in the Cities, I didn't hear exactly. But one of the rules of the job is that EVERY employee of Menards has to work the floor (he went in at 5 a.m.)the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, or they don't have a job! Simple as that. He and Katie talked later in the day and he told her the store took in $52,000 an HOUR that day. Now, mind you, that was only one store too. Interesting.On Friday afternoon, my daughters came to Plymouth: Natalie, with Dorian and Darius from Beaver Dam; and Linda, from Park City, Deb from Grayslake, and Donna from Chicago, came together in one car. So we had a small Evans gathering and covered a lot of territory that afternoon, as you can imagine, because my grandson Mark and his wife, Katie, with two-year-old Nina, from West Bend joined the gathering while the kids got acquainted, and Nina and Evan were instant pals. Mark and Katie are blooming in anticipation of a new edition in May and at the moment don't know what it is, and I told them I didn't want to know until it is born, then they could call me!That evening Katie and Terry, Mary Kay and I had a couple of great whist games and Katie now is a whist player deluxe, and we're all aiming towards that whist tournament in Hillsboro! I sure hope the weather holds as good for the Christmas gathering as it was for Thanksgiving weekend. Terry and Mary Kay had their family Thanksgiving on Saturday and then on Sunday morning the 9:30 mass we went to was in memory of husband Al's birthday who would have been 86. I looked over the huge crowd of people that filled the entire church and said to Terry that it looked like as many people as in LeRoy, and he in turn agreed, telling me that this church can seat 900 people, and LeRoy has all of 929! There was an orchestra with the choir and the mass was beautiful and I was happy to be there, daughter-in-law, Mary Kay making his birthday anniversary so special.Katie, Evan and I then headed home, using a MAP to take the right roads through Wisconsin, to save time and miles, But even the Interstate was filled with traffic and we were slowed approaching the junction when 94 goes north and 90 goes west north of Mauston. But in all, it was a wonderful trip, and I was delighted to have that special time to visit and get to know a granddaughter and a two-year-old great-grandson, Evan. I just now remembered that Dan, Joyce and Nadiya spent Thanksgiving with sons Jordon and Colton in Mankato, along with future family member, Mackenzie who will become part of the Evans family when Jordon and Mac marry the end of June. Along with that there are two high school graduations as well as two First Communions too, one in April and another in May, so my 2014 calendar is filling fast and it isn't even here yet! I've given up on the birthdays, trying only to get cards off to the younger grandkids and phone calls to the older kids. I need a full time secretary to keep up with it all, and I'm not blaming anyone!Talked to Barb Hovde Monday night and she's getting along great with her new ankle and all that surgery she went through this summer. I only hope she can dance across Texas when she gets there this winter! She and Tom took the grandkids and families to Wisconsin Dells for overnight and water park fun Friday and Saturday of the weekend.I missed the free meal in Johnsburg Sunday when the Catholic Aid group has the Christmas party, now I have to wait until next year! And I also missed the Lime Springs Christmas at the firestation too, where they have many vendors along with a free bowl of chili.Don't forget to go to the L-O School Saturday morning and all day, for that fact, where the annual Christmas in LeRoy activities take place. The Cookie Walk sponsored by the ambulance crew starts at 9, but even before that the many vendors set up by Annette Kiefer at the Craft Show and Sale are open for business, and when the cookie tables are down to size, the Soup and Bread luncheon is set up for the 11:30 soup line. Please plan on spending a good part of the day there, visiting with neighbors and friends and enjoying all the events.I was at the St. Pat's Altar Society meeting last night, Monday, and there was a really good discussion about the church kitchen which needs some new equipment before the parish has another dinner like the Harvest dinner we had the beginning of November this year. Some 300 people were served a turkey dinner and we came out having some dollars profit to use for charity work, such as helping Father Marreddy with his endeavors both here and in India. Everyone is willing, and most of them able, they agreed, to possibly have more dinners or parish gatherings IF we had some new kitchen equipment. One brave soul suggested we make it known in writing, on paper, to the parish council and the powers-that-be that the ladies want something done now and not have the work put off again, or yet, even though it's been in the talking stage forever. We are willing to stand up and be counted as very active persons in the parish and should have some say in getting something done in the kitchen. So there, I've put it on paper like it was talked about, and I'll probably be in too deep. But it does need to be said. Now I have to stop and get to the Community Dinner . . . we're having barbecued ribs today, Oh boy!See you next week, and in the meantime, please remember to thank God for all His blessings.

JDS: Where have you lived since LOHS?TW: We live in Rochester. Since High School I've lived in Dodge Center and Byron

JDS: What is your favorite memory of the LeRoy-Ostrander School?TW: There are a bunch but I would have to say the one that comes to mind is how great my classmates were after I had my Farm accident. They are a great group and all supported me.

JDS: Where do you work and what do you do at your job? Where does Heidi work?TW: I work for Owner's Auto Mart in Rochester. I am the Service Manager and in Sales. If you need your car fixed correctly or are looking for a new vehicle call Toby (Wink). Seriously though it's great. I get to meet new people every day and be around unique cars and trucks. My wife works for Charter Communications in Rochester. She is a Customer Service Manager.

JDS: If you could go back to your Senior year at LOHS, what would you do again and what would you change?TW: I would repeat the whole year. I would study, not study harder or study more, just actually study.

JDS: Tell me more about your favorite memories of growing up in the L-O community.TW: I have so many great memories of the Le-Roy-Ostrander area. Cruising Main street was always fun, Video Village, CCD Classes, Little League, fast pitch softball, working on the farm, Osmundson's pit, watching the adults play softball while us kids would monkey around, camping, sporting events, etc. There are just too many.

JDS: What would your former classmates of LOHS be surprised to learn about you now?TW: I am training and plan on entering PBA Regional events in the Spring and entering the PBA Tour.

JDS: If you could add one business to Main Street or somewhere in LeRoy what would it be and why?TW: A Classic Car rebuilding, speed and sales shop maybe?

JDS: Favorite song or band right now?TW: Tie between the bands Seether and Pop Evil. Favorite song right now, 'Remember Everything' by Five Finger Death Punch.

JDS: Favorite teacher from your LOHS days and why?TW: He was the Principal but I gotta go with Mr. D. He always had Cheez-its in his office and since I spent a lot of time there I liked that about him.

JDS: You have an hour of television to watch. What do you want on?TW: A half hour of Wild Hockey and a half hour of Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

JDS: What are your lifelong dreams? TW: I just want Health and Happiness for My Family and Friends. Other than that I have everything I want or need right here with me.

JDS: What do you do in your spare time?TW: Hiking, Bowling, Hunting, Fishing. With the exception of Bowling I try to get in the woods or on the water every chance I get.

JDS: What do you know now that you wish you knew back then?TW: I wish I would have known how important High School and College grades were then.

JDS: Besides your parents/family was there anyone in the LeRoy-Ostrander community who made an impact in your life? If so who and why?TW: I think the entire community helps shape who we are. There are a lot of great people in that area.

JDS: When your time on earth is up, how would you like to be remembered?TW: I would like to be remembered foremost as a good Husband, Father, Brother and Son. I would also like if people thought of me as a pretty easy going guy that was easy to talk to and always had a smile on his face.

The Forte Milers Barbershop Christmas Chorus will present a program on Sunday, December 8 at 2:30 p.m. at Little Cedar Lutheran Church in Adams. The program will include a wide range of familiar Christmas songs. There is no charge for the performance, but there will be a free will offering, the proceeds of which will go towards two charities the Forte Milers have supported for many years. They are Camp Winnebago of Caledonia, Minnesota, a camp for disadvantaged youth and adults, and Opportunity Village of Clear Lake, Iowa, a residential facility for individuals with disabilities.The Forte Milers Barbershop Chorus includes singers from across southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa. They are part of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the largest male choral organization in the world. The Forte Milers Christmas Chorus has been a regular tradition of the Forte Milers for several years.